Gettysburg

We had plenty of time to explore Gettysburg today since it is only a couple hours from Annapolis.  Weather was beginning to cool somewhat - still not cool enough for walking around the battlefields.  We did the driving tour with narration on 3 CDs.  There are so many monuments and sculptures that it is known as one of the largest sculpture parks in the world.  Each state has a monument to their men who fought in the war with Pennsylvania’s being one of the largest.  (So big I missed the top!)

The tour was almost overwhelming in its beauty and the vastness of the lands.  But nothing could compare with the Re-enactment we attended in the morning.  The parking lot was an enormous field and quickly filled.  Then there were long lines to get to the bleachers in the occasional sprinkling rain.  We brought umbrellas but forgot our rain/wind breakers...  The battle began at about 10:00 and lasted several hours.  The terrain is rolling hills so in the beginning we could not see both sides - only gunsmoke and cannon fire over the hills.  The battle was narrated live so we sort of understood what was happening.  There were thousands of soldiers and hundreds of horses.  It was truly an unforgettable day.  The number of casualties during the three day battle of Gettysburg was only about a few thousand less than all the casualties in the Viet Nam War.  

Tomorrow we are touring some of the battlefields on horseback.  

Great ride for two hours with an experienced guide giving us the history of each field we passed.  We saw the side of a brick barn with a cannon hole in it.  Some of the stories she told of the families and what they endured during the battle and the aftermath were chilling.



Love these fences that outline many of the properties and battlefields.  At the very top you can see another monument